One Thing: Kneading a New Hobby

I’m kicking off a new blogging experiment I’m calling “One Thing.” Each day, I plan to share one thing I learned, big or small, tech-related or totally random. My hope is that tracking these daily insights will keep me curious, keep my writing muscles active, and maybe spark a new idea for you. I’m not aiming for lengthy think-pieces here, just a quick hit of something interesting, helpful, or fun. Today’s first post is about my first attempt at bread baking.

I decided to try out the Saturday White Bread recipe from Ken Forkish’s Flour Water Salt Yeast. My dough ended up about a degree cooler than recommended (my kitchen tends to run on the cool side), so I let it rise for five hours in the oven with the light on. Surprisingly, the process felt more straightforward than I expected. I’ve always assumed bread-making would be more intimidating.

The crust turned out beautifully golden and crisp, and the interior was mostly airy, except for a denser spot in the center. Next time, I’ll up the hydration and be sure to keep a closer eye on the dough temperature. I’ll also add a pinch more salt (I might have skimped by a gram or two). Even so, it tasted great, especially dipped into a bowl of creamy tomato soup on a cold night.

Bread-baking is less complicated than I thought, and small tweaks can make a big difference. I’m looking forward to experimenting more, and hopefully perfecting my crumb!